Cavernous Dark
Trailer
Full Gameplay Video
Game Overview
Cavernous Dark is a 2D top-down horror game where the player is stranded in a monstrous cave with a flashlight as their only source of vision. In Cavernous Dark the player takes control of a miner named Joe. Joe was working in a mine when it suddenly collapsed, causing him to fall into an unknown cave. The player is then tasked with finding a way out. There are creepy monsters lurking in the shadows that try to attack the player as they traverse the dark cave. The large lizard-like monster is a Chaser, which will run after Joe if the Chaser sees them. The rock-like monsters are Grabbers, which will try to reach out and strangle Joe. Grabbers are eggs laid by the Chaser, which latch onto rocks for support and hunt using stretchy tendrils. If the player is caught by a tendril or the Chaser catches them, Joe will die and the level will restart.
About the Project
Cavernous Dark was a project I worked on with three other classmates. Our group was called 4Dudes and as we were talking about what game we should make I suggested a game with a flashlight as the only light source. The rest of the team liked the idea and, since I thought of it I was selected to be the producer of the project, but I also helped with some programming, game design, and UI aspects. As the producer I scheduled meetings and set tasks for my team and I to finish. I was also the one who thought up the story about a miner falling into an unknown mine with monsters lurking around in the dark after the idea of the game being in a cave was brought up. I set up the main menu layout and designed the light flashing off and on when switching menus. I designed an implemented the first “cutscene” where the player needs to hide behind a rock as a Chaser smashes a large boulder. I helped design the chase scene at the end of the game. I also designed and implemented all of the UI icons, buttons, and screens as well as the settings menu and end rolling credits functionality. One of team members set up the itch.io page, but I helped with getting the raw clips for the trailer.
This was my first time being a producer for a game. I learned a lot about time management, feature cuts, and keeping everything in the scope of the project. I had a lot of fun working and creating with others. I can say that the game turned out completely different from what I first imagined it as. Did it turn out better or worse? I can’t really say, but it was a project that I am proud I was a part of.